Strategy, Planning or Strategic Intent

The imaginary lines we have drawn between strategy, planning and leadership have blurred.   Planning processes are increasingly seen as brief but critical opportunities for leadership teams to revisit vision, strategy and focus.  The plan intent is to empower key individuals and groups to see, grasp and build on possibilities to create the desire future/vision in the present.  The process will also have identified barriers, blocks or systemic challenges; and all stakeholders are challenged to consciously adjust the organizational culture and environment so that the difficult becomes possible.  The plan identifies clearly what must be changed if the vision is to be realized and puts transition systems in place.

Our organizations are becoming adept at knowing what they want; we have all created dynamic visions describing what success would look like and the ultimate difference we want to make.  What we most need are leaders who will ONLY accept achievement of that vision and demand exemplary delivery of vision driven outcomes sand results.  We do not need leaders who are overcome by the internal weaknesses of the organization’s culture or by the threats imposed by the operating environment.  We do not need leaders who simply build on internal strengths and leverage only the most evident opportunities.

We are indebted to Charles Smith for reintroducing us to Merlin in King Arthur’s Court, a man who lived backward from the future, who had been there and knew what was possible.  Smith calls for ‘managerial Merlins’ who will personalize the organization’s dreams and build leadership teams capable of transforming themselves and their corporate cultures through creative commitment to a radically different future.  They will be engaged full time in revealing the intended future in the opportunities of the present.  They know that the current culture is not up to the task and utlize all of the leadership skills to transform the attitudes, capabilities, systems and resources of the organization – so that the visionary dream is increasingly seen as a reality, just around the corner.  Tolerance for barriers is reduced and barrier busting is both encouraged and celebrated.  Small opportunities to move forward are seized, but the real priority is to find the ‘breakthrough opportunities’.  Innovation is nurtured and celebrated.  The transformational leader is an ambassador for the organization’s potential and future, empowering those who believe in its possibility.

 

The plan begins to live.  It’s vision and strategy provide the marching orders, but do no define the exact route to be taken.  Plan, strategy and leadership look beyond the organization to engage clients, partner organizations and investors.  Care is taken to ensure that this larger stakeholder team is ‘in the loop’ and motivated to do their part in moving forward.

Every time a signficant change or step forward is taken, leadership provides the support necessary to make sure it takes root and becomes the new way of doing business, the new culture for the organization.

“Speaking passionately from the perspective of the envisioned future, the leader creates a relationship of creative tension between the vision and the present organization.”

Charles Smith – ‘The Merlin Factor: Leadership and Strategic Intent’

Service Excellence

RETHINK has supported the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association in developing a process and tool to define, monitor and recognize outstanding performance in organizations committed to recreation, parks, sports, arts, culture and community building.  The Service Excellence Program is guided by three goals:

• to support constant improvement in the quality of recreation and parks services
• tor promote commitment to emerging best practices, and
• to build stakeholder confidence in recreation and parks services.

We host a blog to keep stakeholders up to date on the process and program: www.serviceexcellencearpa.blogspot.com 

Foresight

Do you need easy access to trend information about the leisure industries – recreation, fitness, sports, arts, culture, tourism, parks?  If so, check this out:

http://www.foresight-trendscan.blogspot.com

The Foresight blog is but the first step towards creation of a vital, engaging and sustainable online platform to facilitate:

• access to trend information
• awareness and discussion about predictions and prescriptions
• ongoing strategic dialogue about what this means for the future of our work in Canada’s leisure industries.

Imagine, a pleace to turn to when you need trend information – facts:

• ongoing professional monitoring of trend sources related to leisure, leisure behaviours, related services and leadership competencies – summaries on line, links available if more detail is required
• a community of trendwatchers representing every aspect of the leisure industries, networked and regularly submitting material and links – a shared commitment to keeping up to date.

Imagine, a hub of debate about future possibilities – insight:

• predictions or prescriptions about the future of leisure, leisure behaviours, and related service needs – identified, summarized and linked
• synopsis of and links to similar discussions about more generic leadership competencies: community planning and development, human resource management, diversity, resource development, marketing/communications
• blogs by individuals with foresight, talking about what it all means
• forums that facilitate active reflection and comment on trends, predictions and prescriptions
• regular theme papers (blogs) by the moderators – catalysts for debate.



Imagine, a service to help leisure industries focus on the future – consensus:

• dialogue that shifts foresight to strategy
• a network that constantly generates recommendations for the leisure industries to consider as they plan for their future in dynamic operating environments
• regular DELPHI work with trendwatchers/participants to find agreement on how best to react, position and prepare
• a service that builds our collective confidence about moving forward.

Let us know if you would like to engage.  In the meantime, use the blog categories to find trend information that matters to you!